For starters, the 100 year old floor in the home was restored and the addition was matched to the original thanks to a neighbor’s old flooring which had been sitting unused in storage. The staircase and the open bookshelves are all up-cycled from the 2 x 4s of the existing cottage walls that were removed during the remodel. All materials used throughout the house utilize a high percentage of recycled content, including the exterior siding, bathroom tiles, concrete countertops, insulation, and foundations. At the completion of the project, 76% of the construction waste was diverted from the landfill.

Other sustainable features extend into the home’s backyard, where a culvert and club house were built to prevent the need to remove any dirt dug-up from the site during the remodel and building of the addition. 91% of the plants on the site are native to reduce water consumption, and additional conversation efforts include a stormwater system of permeable surfaces and two rainwater cisterns prevent runoff from leaving the site. The entire front yard has been converted into a vegetable garden in order to encourage a local dialogue about organic produce, share food, and to build community.

Best of all, the total cost of the 2,000 square feet remodel and addition was $450,000 (or roughly $225 per a square foot). The Brooks Residence is truly atypical when it comes to LEED Platinum buildings, but a shining example of how our current building stock can be upgraded at reasonably affordable prices.